By REVIS BLAYLOCK
NEA Town Courier
The Arkansas State Board of Education was in Blytheville on Thursday morning for a public meeting with the Blytheville School Board, administrators and the community. There was a full house at the Blytheville Primary multi-purpose room as citizens came to listen, express their concerns and show support for the students of the Blytheville School District.
Jacob Oliva, Arkansas Secretary of Education, along with four other state board members, Stacy Smith, ADE deputy commissioner, and Sheila Whitlow, associate deputy commissioner, addressed the areas of concerns for the district.
The meeting started with a moment of silence with a reminder to keep the focus on the children.
Secretary Oliva commended the community for their attendance which shows the support of the district. He went on to say the meeting would be focused on how they can work together to make the school improvements.
He went on to say the state of board agency of education is to ensure all children learn and be successful.
“It is up to the adults to ensure it happens,” he said. “When we see a school district declining, it becomes a concern. Blytheville District is one of those districts. Student data is not at the level the community deserves.”
Some of the concerns mentioned include turnover in leadership, declining enrollment, number of teachers not licensed, teachers leaving and failing grades for two consecutive school years.
Secretary Oliva said they are working with the district and the school leaders have been very welcoming and the state will work with the board to ensure there is a plan in place.
Smith and Whitlow have been working with the school and data was shared which showed a loss of 1,173 students in the last 10 years. The question was asked, where are the students going? There was a loss of 170 student transfers through student choice in the 2023-2024 school year.
The loss of students creates a loss of funding which can lead to fiscal problems over time.
When asked about the loss in enrollment, interim superintendent Jennifer Blankenship said Blytheville has experienced a drop in population.
Smith said they are looking to stabilize and then improve.
“I know the community wants the school to be successful,” Smith said.
Secretary Oliva said, at the state level, it is believed that parents have a right to choose where to send their children to school and families are not choosing Blytheville.
“Have you talked to the community?” he asked. “If parents are happy with school, they are not looking for choices.”
He emphasized the school needs to find out why students are leaving. He again said the state is here to work with the school.
Blytheville Board members were asked if they had comments. Barbara Wells, veteran board member, stated there is a lack of leadership in place and a need for interaction with the community to draw the children back.
Also, the numbers going to KIPP school was noted in the declining numbers as well as school choice.
Secretary Oliva said he was glad there is no cap on school choice.
“If every family chose to leave the district I would not blame them,” Oliva said. “I’m not here to point fingers but all schools in the district have received Fs for two years.”
School board president Desmond Hammett said the board has formed a leadership team and will gather feedback from the community, saying they will look to the future and not focus on the past.
Oliva said his staff is willing to work with Blytheville for improvements.
It was mentioned several times in the meeting that the administration is working with the state and has cooperated in every way.
A discussion was held on the large number of teachers that are not licensed in the subjects they are teaching and what steps are being taken to encourage and assist the teachers in earning their license. It was reported that of the 89 teachers, 33 are fully licensed and 10 are partially licensed and 46 are not.
Whitmore commented that unlicensed teachers does not mean they are not good or can’t be successful.
“Don’t hide from the data,” Olivia said. “We can’t tell the community everything is great when it is not.”
There needs to be a strategic plan in place.
Blankenship said the district is working with teachers on the issue and providing software and training. Curriculum director Lauren Starks gave details on the district’s work helping the teachers earn their license.
It was also mentioned a need for classroom observation and documentation on a regular basis.
It was suggested starting an incentive program to encourage Blytheville graduates to come back and teach with a “grow your own” program.
A discussion was also held about having an eight member school board which can create split votes.
School Board president Hammett said there had only been one 4-4 vote in the last two years.
School Attorney Bobby Coleman explained how the board was allowed to keep eight members in the 1990s, contrary to the Arkansas regulations of five or seven.
Blankenship was asked if she felt she had the support of the board.
“I do believe I will have the support of the board,” she said.
She went on to say they will be ready for the start of the school year.
State board member Randy Henderson said Blytheville has a lot to offer graduates. “There are opportunities for young people to get good jobs here in Blytheville with good pay,” Henderson said.
Smith encouraged the district saying, “You have what it takes to be an ‘A’ School District with everyone working together.”
“This is board partnerships,” Oliva said. “I want to thank the board, the staff and the community. I have confidence and accept their words that work will be in place to see improvements. The system has been broken for too long. We will not wait two years to come back. We will be back in two months for an update in September.”
After a break the floor was opened to the public for comments. Speakers were encouraged to be respectful.
Oliva said, “We know the problems. Being a problem solver is more important.” He encouraged speakers to share suggestions.
Board member Barbara Wells gave her time for comments to Dr. Veronica Perkins, superintendent. Dr. Perkins is presently on administrative leave.
“It is not the way I envisioned being superintendent,” Dr. Perkins said. “I have been here since April of 2022. I did not come with disillusions. I knew the issues. Some teachers are not licensed and some students are not at grade level. I’ve been in education for 30 years and have seen ups and downs in leadership. The bottom line is we can’t continue to do what we have always done.”
She encouraged the board to get behind whoever is in the seat.
“Communication is not my strong point but I love this district,” she said. “This is not about me, it is about the 1,340 students. Not all decisions are popular. I am praying for the district.”
Among the comments:
–No board support for Dr. Veronica Perkins. Board micromanaging the superintendent.
–Another speaker said she has been a teacher with the District for 24 years because she wants to be here. She said the board is dysfunctional. We cannot move forward as a district if they argue at every meeting.
–A representative of Tenaris said her company is a supporter of education and invested over $3 million in the after school program for literacy and math. She said they are here to support the students in education and want them to be successful in the future. “We will continue this support,” she said.
–A teacher commented that she is one of the non-traditional teachers acquiring her license. She recognized her fellow teachers. “We are here for the students. The board is not dysfunctional but has a couple of dysfunctional members.” She thanked the state for listening and said “we want your help.”
–Athletic director McKenzie Pierce said they left Blytheville 12 months ago but are back because of the people and kids. “I don’t have all the answers but we need to unite and move forward. These kids are worth fighting for. Egos and agendas have to be put aside. We need transparency. We have great administrators and great teachers. We are where we are, at the bottom, we have to go up. We are one Blytheville and one Chickasaw and we need to be proud of that.”
–A parent and grandparent said being involved is what is needed. “I was involved in the last school board election and only 21 people from the zone turned out to vote. We need to voice our opinions. People would not have to be asking about the superintendent if the board would tell us. The board should vote the way we feel. We need a plan in place.”
–One mother of six said she is returning her children to Blytheville. “I graduated from Blytheville and want to make Blytheville great again. I have a Master’s Degree. I will make myself available to help. I had my kids in KIPP but I want them in Blytheville.” She went on to say she had been called a bad name after one of the board meetings she attended.
–”The problem is we took God out. We have to do better. We need to help our teachers and our students.”
–One parent asked about the need for mental health help. She said her child was sent home to be homeschooled. She shared the difficulty and hardship it has been. “I feel like the school district has failed me.”
–One parent said she has started a parent organization to help the students and the teachers. She encouraged parents to become involved. She said they will also work with and help parents earn GEDs.
–One patron asked why the board is paying an attorney $200 an hour and what for? “The public has a right to know. The superintendent has a plan and she needs the board to work with her. There is a need for the superintendent and school board to work together.”
–One woman asked the state board members how to start the process of going from the eight member board to a five or seven member board?
–A mother said she took her child out of the Blytheville School District because she was learning bad habits in the classroom she did not learn at home. “There is a need to reach out to our teachers.”